In this recipe, we throw the dry pasta into the meat sauce toward the end instead of cooking it separately. This allows the pasta to absorb the flavors of the sauce and also releases starch into the sauce, which helps thicken the sauce and pull everything together. If you find you don't like this texture, feel free to cook the pasta separately and add it at the very end along with the cheese!

Heat a teaspoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a wok or skillet that will be deep enough to hold everything. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink (about 8 minutes).

Stir in the onions and mushrooms, and cook until the onions are soft and slightly translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the peppers, spices, and salt, and continue to saute until veggies are mostly cooked (about 3 minutes).

Add tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil. Add the pasta. Let the water come back to a boil and then reduce the heat. Allow everything to simmer for about 10 minutes until the pasta isel dente and the veggies are cooked through. (If it looks like the liquid is gone before the pasta is cooked, pour in another half cup of water.)

Sprinkle the cheese over the top and stir until the cheese is melted and gooey. Spoon into individual bowls, top with an extra sprinkle of cheese, and serve!

Make a layer of half the remaining can of cream of chicken soup in the bottom of a large crock pot. Top with 1/3 of the dressing. Top dressing with half of the chicken, shredding it as you put it in. Top with 1/3 dressing, remaining chicken, and remaining dressing. Spread other half of cream of chicken soup over top. Cover and cook on low for three to four hours. Serve hot.

Dutch-Processed or Alkalized Unsweetened Cocoa Powder is treated with an alkali to neutralize its acids. Because it is neutral and does not react with baking soda, it must be with baking powder, unless there are other acidic ingredients in sufficient quantities used.

When I buy something that is going to lose its pungency over time --herbs, spices and salad dressings -- I use a permanent marker to writethe date I opened it on the lid. Now I know how long it's been sittingin the pantry or refrigerator, and I don't run the risk of replacingit sooner than necessary or keeping it too long. -- Gina G., e-mail

Yeah use her books, my goal is to use one new recipe a week. You may alsowant to go through the beginning of her book and note the staples shekeeps on hand. I would write down the ones that look most like what Iwould use. For me I use magnetic note pads for the pantry and fridge.BUT, you could even maybe make something up on the PC that you just checkmark the items as you need them.

Also one more thing I did not mention earlier....... but now I realizesomething. A lot of people here must be perfectionist, and SHE's (sidetracked Home Executives). I know I am/was one. For some of us, making amenu may be harder then it sounds or looks.

Please remember baby steps, don't go whole hog. This is kind of my owntestimony. For years, I had tried menu plans, and menu planning. (youknow I'm sure every diet you have ever went on, always starts out atleast the first week of giving you a menu plan.) Oh my goodness if I madeit through a whole week on a menu plan like that it was a miracle. Then Iheard, over and over again planning ahead is the best policy. I've heardthis with every thing from, my church, and Bible reading, to diet gurusand how to lose weight. I would always TRY, I would make up shoppinglist, and stick to them at the store, I would get home with EVERY thing Iwould need for the menu. The next day I would wake up and.........I don'twant to eat that. (even if I was the one who invented the menu, withthings I LOVED!). So I wouldn't eat what was on the menu, even if itmeant going to get other food. And all the good food I had bought wouldrot. I was even bad at this as a child, my parents would yell at me,about wasting the grapes, I had ASKED for!

For about one year and 3 months on Richards plan, I decided meal planningwould just not work for me. Cause I knew no matter how desperately Iwanted to follow a plan my mind had a block and wouldn't let me. Sothat's when keeping healthy staples on hand came in to play GREATLY! Iwould just keep every thing to whip up a healthy meal in no time in thepantry/freezer, about 20 minutes before the meal I would go in there andwhip something up. Flying by the seat of my pants. It worked for me andwasn't too bad. The only thing was, I did find myself saying I was tootired, or didn't feel like thinking of something new to make, so I wouldmake the same ole, same ole every day. Mainly JoAnnaLund Sloppy Joe'slol. I really can't tell you how many times I made those things. Andpersonally I never got bored of them. In fact, I could still be eatingthem today and really not be bored of them. The thing was my weight losscame to a screeching halt. I went to Hoot camp in LA with RichardSimmons, I lost 3 pounds over the weekend! 3 pounds in 3 days!!! Sure wedid a lot of exercising but not that much! (3 hours a day, I was doing 2hours a day at home, so surely one more hour didn't make a 3 pounddifference!). I decided it must of been the different foods I was eatingout there. I wasn't having the same thing day after day, breakfast, lunchand dinner. I was having something different each meal, each day. So Idecided I needed to do the same at home.

The problem....... I remembered how bad I was at meal planning! Any way,long story short, I figured out I had a control problem, even if it wasME who was going to be the one in control! A planned menu was too muchcontrol to give something! For me personally. I had to keep lettingmyself know it was ok for ME to be in control of what I ate! It was hard,but I didn't jump into it all at once! Cause it would have back fired.

First, I would surround myself with all my books and newsletters ofJoAnnas and write down a bunch of recipes I would "like" to give a try.Then I would each day look at the list-pick out what sounded like I wouldlike to try that day, and admittedly just go to the store randomly as Ineeded something for the next recipe I had chose. (I had always been aevery two week shopper cause that's when my husband gets paid) but forthis transition time, I was going a few times a week! For one or twoitems. It was best to send hubby cause he don't get side tracked at thestore coming home with 100 dollars of stuff when sent for 5 dollarsworth!

I gradually worked my way up to where I am now.

This is what I do now. See a few months ago, I was reading all my backissues of JoAnnaLund Newsletters, and one person said she puts all herissues together by month. (I was putting them together by year) infolders. So each month she goes to that months folder and her and herdaughter would pick out recipes from that month's issues (current andpast issues). Well, I immediately rearranged my folders, and now have 12folders, one for each month, and my newsletters go back to 1999, with afew 92's and 98's disbursed through out.

Now what I do, is at least one month ahead of time, I go through the nextmonths newsletters, I write down each recipe I would like to try, and theextra ingredients not my staples on the side. Till I have a months (oreven more's worth, it's ok if it's more! Use them next year, so you don'thave to go back through ALL the issues again, just the new one!). THEN, Ihave a day planner (fly lady calls it a control journal). I bought extrafiller paper for the calendar part. I put one piece of filler paper ineach month of the calendar. Then, I write down ALL those recipes I wantedto try, (in date, and page #-of the newsletter). I also pick oneother book a month, and pick out two recipes from it to try. This month,I picked the kids book. Any way...... After I transfer all that to thefiller paper. Then, I look at the calendar, and fill it in with a menu,based on what I have written on the filler paper. The filler paper hasthe extra foods that aren't staples in my home, written out to the sidelike this.

January1999 pg. 4 Snow Balls-dried cranberries

The above I just made up. But, let's pretend, it also calls for flour,and splenda, and margarine. I don't write any of those down cause thoseare all staples I always have.

In my calendar part, I only write the name of the recipe, nothing elsecause there's not enough room. Then, as I make the items on the fillerpaper, I erase them. I don't erase things from the calendar, only thefiller paper. This way..... I probably will not get through all therecipes I wrote down this year, but that leaves more room for the nextissue from next year, and shows me what I have left for next year inJanuary at the end of the month that I will try. Also don't erase themtill you actually make them. Things come up, and you don't always makeevery thing you planned exactly. IE sometimes hubby says let's go out.I'm not a fuddyduddy who would say I'm on a diet, no I won't go out withyou. I'm flexible enough that things may get pushed to the side thatweek, that's ok, I can make them the next day! If I already have theingredients bought no big deal. I'm going out with my husband!

Oh yeah I do every thing in pencil!

Another tip, I still don't plan to the TEE! I plan two new recipes aweek, and write them down on Sundays square in the calendar, that don'treally mean I make them on Sunday, just the first time I can that week!(for instance yesterday was the first day I could make my planned recipesthis week-we were out and about Sunday and Monday, and I was eating leftovers from the freezer, and eating at Whole Foods Deli!) Then I fill inthe rest of the week, still by looking at the filler paper list, andpicking things, as I go. I will say the Sundays food, is usually thethings I have to buy extra stuff for, I fill in the rest of the week,with recipes that all the ingredients are staples.

Some day I hope to get to where I can let go of enough control to fill inevery day! But, for now, just one day a week is kind of sorta planned!Later I will get to the point, where two days a week are, and so on. babysteps. This is life changing things I am doing not a quick fix! Andthat's what I have to keep telling myself, and give my self the patienceI would any one else who I loved and deserved it!

Years ago I made a terrible mistake. I froze 10 of pounds groundbeef. That big block of frozen burger languished in my freezerfor years. What was I thinking? I should have browned it firstthen froze it in usable portions. But browning beef can be so messy!

A few weeks ago I came upon another cheap ground beef opportunity.The expiration date was nearing and my supermarket needed to getrid of--you guessed it—ground beef. Ten pounds. I almost walked by.Then I decided to try something different, albeit a little weird.

I put the entire 10 pounds of raw ground beef into my big stock pot.I added enough water to cover and set it over high heat to come toa boil, no cover, no salt. After about 5 minutes I gave it a stirto break up the big clumps, which were few. The hot water wasdoing all of my work for me--no splatters, no mess. When all ofthe pink color disappeared I knew it was done, even though ithad not started to boil.

I placed my large colander into a big bowl in the sink andpoured the now cooked beef into the colander. I did this inbatches because my colander would not hold all of it at once.This drained off all the liquid into the bowl including thefat, leaving uniformly fine-textured ground beef in thecolander. No clumps! I could have done the same thing scoopingthe meat from the stock pot with a large sieve, transferringthe drained beef into a large bowl. (When done draining I putthe beef broth in the refrigerator. Later I skimmed off the fatand will use the broth for soup.)

I measured 2 cups of cooked beef (the equivalent of about 1 poundof raw ground beef) into each gallon-size zip-type freezer bags,pressed out the air and zipped. Then I laid each one on thecounter to flatten it thin; stacked them like sheets of paperand popped the stack into the freezer.

Because my bags of beef are so flat I can use them frozen—nomicrowave required. I take one of these flat frozen packageof ground beef, whack it on the side of the sink to breakit into pieces, unzip and pour the contents into a non-stickskillet. It’s ready for all uses. Here’s the best part:This method removes the fat leaving the ground meatvirtually fat free.

Quick as a Flash Burrito Filling: Two bags of boiled beefwhacked and dumped into skillet (equivalent of 2 pounds rawground beef), two packets of Lawry’s Burrito Seasoning mix(any brand will do), 2 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil,reduce heat and allow to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.Done! Wrap in warm flour tortillas with grated cheese. Serves 8.

Place ground beef in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.Add onion and celery, cover the pan and cook over medium heatuntil beef is thawed and onions and celery are tender, about5 minutes. Stir the tomato soup (undiluted), ketchup, vinegar,brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce into the beef mixture.Season with salt and garlic powder. Simmer over low heatuntil thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Spoon the hot beefmixture onto buns, which may be toasted first. Serves 8.

On Sundays, I prepare as much food as possible for the upcomingweek, including breakfast & lunches for work.

Breakfast is usually white chocolate or vanilla pudding yogurt andfresh fruit. Or I'll package up a bowl of milk and make hot cerealat work and add unsweetened applesauce to it. Or I'll have the milkwith one of my prepackaged cold cereal packets already at work andadd a banana.

Lunch includes a big chopped veggie salad (celery, carrots,broccoli, radishes, cabbage, etc.) or a big regular salad and anentree. Cowboy beans over barley, dinner leftovers, chili overbrown rice, etc. I also bring fruit for an afternoon snack, so I'mnot ravenous when I get home and may grab anything just to quell themunchies.

I package most meals up on Sunday in individual containers. Theentrees are packaged up during the week if I'm using dinnerleftovers. For instance, tonight's dinner will be Wednesday'slunch - Grilled chicken thighs, green beans, and a chopped salad.

Other things I cook on Sundays - as many side dishes as possible. I'll cook brown rice, barley, couscous or other grains, sauteed orroasted veggies, make up some sliced pickled beets (add several "nosalt added" cans to a container and add some s & p and vinegar), acold salsa or bean mixture, a big fruit salad, etc. Thepossibilities are endless. I'm a big fan of beans so I cook a lotof them.

I'll also prepare a soup, maybe a spaghetti sauce, grill up somechicken or pork tenderloin for a multitude of uses during the week(if I'm not planning to use right away, I'll cut it up and freezeit). I'll also take meat or fish out of the freezer to defrost forMonday and Tuesday night's dinner.

I make up two 32 oz containers of yogurt pudding - one is usuallychocolate for dessert during the week. The other is for breakfastwith fruit or my husband will have fruit and yogurt with his lunch.

It makes the week so much easier if you plan ahead! It also stopstemptations when you just don't know what you want or don't feellike cooking, and end up making bad choices.

Seasoning- A new skillet is coated with a preservative, wash inhot water to remove. Dry completely.Do Not omit the first seasoning before usingyou skillet. Use a good grade of vegetable shortening - most peopleuse Crisco to season their skillets,.

Using a paper towel or newsponge, spread the melted shortening all over the inside and outsideof entire skillet. including the lid if has one. Place skillet inoven and lid upside down on top rack of your kitchen oven. Putaluminum foil on the lower rack so that any excess oil can drain ontoit. Close the range door then turn on oven, set the oven temperaturefor 350 degrees and let it bake. for at least one hour. Turn oven offand let everything cool back down to room temoerature with oven doorstill closed. Your skillet is now seasoned and ready to use.

CLEANING:

After scraping out all uneaten food from your skillet useHOT water, no soap, and a plastic or natural fiber pad or brush towash out the skillet. Never pour cold water into skillet as it willdamage your skillet. Dry the entire skillet and lid using paper orcloth towels and then recoat the entire surface of skillet. Do Notuse strong detergent or you will have to reseason your skillet.

This information was given to me when I took a Dutch Oven class atNational Wild Turkey Federation Women In The Outdoors event. I havebeen using skillets and Dutch Ovens for years and learned some newthings at this event.

You might want to leave for the hour as it does make a smell. Hopethis helps.Betty In Mo

In a perfect world, we would all have the particular size pan or pieplate or baking dish that all recipes require.

It's not a perfect world. The following advice for pan swapping isfrom "In the Sweet Kitchen," by Regan Daley (Artisan, 2001): Anacceptable alternative to any pan has an identical volume and fallswithin half an inch of the original depth. The baking time may have tobe decreased for shallower pans or extended for deeper ones. To findthe volume of a given pan, fill it with water, then pour the waterinto a measuring cup.

In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until dough forms. Shape dough into 23 (1 1/2-inch) balls. Place 1 ball in each baking cup. Moisten bottom of small flat-bottomed glass with drop of water, then dip into 2 tablespoons sugar. Press glass on dough balls to flatten slightly, dipping glass in sugar after each dough ball.

3.

In same large bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, the flour and milk with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in sour cream. On low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Stir in dry pudding mix until well blended. Spoon about 2 tablespoons filling over dough in each cup.

4.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Cool 30 minutes; remove from pan.

5.

Open container of frosting; remove foil lid. Microwave uncovered on High 30 seconds to soften frosting; stir until smooth. Spoon about 1 tablespoon frosting onto center of each cookie cup. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until set. Store covered in refrigerator. If desired, remove from paper baking cups to serve.

I keep a freezer bag of veggie scraps in my freezer - celery tops, potato skins, onion skins and tops, green pepper portions from when you cut the top off, wilted lettuce, etc. Pretty much anything that isn't spoiled. Leftover veggies that are too few for a serving but you don't want to throw it away either. When the bag gets full, empty it into a pan, cover with some water and simmer until it turns golden broth. Strain the veggie scraps (I put them in the compost heap) and then I freeze the broth to have on hand. No salt, and cheaper than buying it at the store.